[Summary] They failed to stop the Tuaparang from getting their hands on the Apollo Lens. The Grave Eclipse spread further across the world, impacting more lives. Chalis awarded herself with a grand prize; a slave. Not just any slave—a particular Earth Adept.

Here's a pairing that was never done—uh, I mean this is a "what-if" on the ending of Golden Sun: Dark Dawn. So, spoilers are obviously in here.

Disclaimer: I don't own Golden Sun.

First chapter is pretty short. Sorry about that.

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I

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It was all for nothing, was it? They had traveled all around Weyard, only for the sole purpose of obtaining a Roc Feather for the broken Soarwing, and then they were supposed to go back home after their adventure. But, it spiraled out of their control the moment they hit the Konpa Ruins. It was in that moment, when they encountered them. Those soldiers clad dark armor wielding crossbows, swords, sometimes lances, had ambushed them—it seemed that way, honestly, looked how well planned that attack was!—but were eventually bested by the three, young teenager Adepts. Just everything at that was, it seemed so…forced. As if they were puppets in someone else's play; like chess pieces on a chess board and were being moved accordingly to their rules.

Everything added up now. He knew it. They were merely pawns used in a bigger plot and it was planned well. Who knew the Tuaparang were so horribly clever? The group of eight Adepts tried to figure them out, their entire motives, but it was just too late when they arrived at the final door of the game.

The Tuaparang fell out of the sky like rain, literally, and attacked them. Then their two commanders, Heart and Spade—or rather Chalis and Blados—appeared, as well as Arcanus. That man was insanely clever. He was wondering if he was the one behind the planning—plotting, excuse him—of the entire scheme. He had the right head, the right appearance, and for some reason, he could sense him being very similar to one of his friends. That one definitely that was from Ayuthay. The group had been taunted and challenged into a fight they could have won. It was hard, given both Chalis and Blados were in it together and their warped Chaos Hound—Sveta admitting the beast smelled familiar to her.

But, it wasn't enough. The group had been rendered useless when Arcanus decided to impose himself into the battle! He healed their enemies to full health and energy, which fueled them to continue. Yes, the Adepts had their own healing spells, but they were tired and worn out from fighting so many Tuaparang soldiers from before that fight. To make matters worse, Blados took out the two main healers quite easily before they had a chance while Chalis prevented them from protecting their healers. That broke up their formation, their plan, everything.

And now, they lied in utter defeat.

Matthew looked around and amassed the damage. Sveta and Rief were trying to help each other up, Tyrell was struggling to remain halfway standing, Eoleo and Amiti were relying on each other to even their knees—wow, and Amiti had admitted he didn't really like pirates once, guess he had to change his mind here—and his dear Karis was assisting Himi along with Kraden. The elderly scholar had stayed out of the battle, but if he were able to, he'd have fought with them. And, all that left was him. He was to his own knees, injuries licking at every inch of his body. But that wasn't important! He had to get up fully and stop them! He had to stop the Tuaparang from succeeding. 'Come on, come on! Move! Get…up!' Matthew growled to himself, trying to force himself to stand, but to no avail.

His legs weren't responding to his internal commands.

"Now that we have the Apollo Lens in our control, we won't be needing you little Adepts any longer." Matthew's skin crawled and his heart ceased to beat when he heard that cunning, sly, feminine voice reach his ears. He didn't even need to look up to know who it was. She was coming closer to him, the male Earth Adept knew it. No, everything they had done! The vortexes were going to spread across Weyard! What about the Soarwing and his parents? "It's time to dispose of you." Her voice was getting closer. "You've been good kids to obeying and following us, but now it's time to say our goodbyes."

"It's a shame I couldn't keep any of you during our reign."

"Hurry up Chalis. Or I'll do it for you." Blados' voice called over irritably, most likely itching for a taste of one last slaying session to sate his unhealthy appetite of bloodlust.

"Hush now." The pink-haired vile woman tenderly cooed.

"Chalis… Allow me." Arcanus invited himself as he lowered himself from his strange hovering. Matthew and his friends were sure they didn't know how he was doing that. Chalis frowned when the teal-haired man stepped in between her and the blond swordsman and his group.

"Alex! What are you going to do!?" Kraden shouted his question, glaring daggers at the self-proclaimed "Arcanus". The man garbed in white simply smiled, wickedly to add, and narrowed his similarly teal-colored eyes at the group.

"Oh, Kraden. Don't worry. This is, after all, temporary." Before Kraden could ask, Alex's hands were enveloped in a blinding, white light. Realizing it was an enormous amount of Psynergy, and aiming at them, the de facto leader of the group acted without thinking—no, he was thinking all right, but it was abrupt and quick. He raised his sword, the Sol Blade, and with whatever remaining energy he had left, stood up and held his ground to deflect the energy away as much as he could. Alex's eyes narrowed further if that was possible at the display of lingering willingness. "Son of Isaac and Jenna… you're a stubborn one. Always, just like both of your parents."

Matthew couldn't control his breath as he sunk to his knees once again. That attempt drew out all the strength he could muster in that instant and now he was paying the price of it. Of course, he would refuse defeat even if it was futile. He was going to try, damnit! And if he failed, he would have died knowing he tried first.

"Your persistence is annoying me, however."

Matthew didn't know what happened next but he ended up being sent a distance away with his right cheek burning in agony. But not only was that burning in agony, his entire body was! He barely had time to register what was going on. Too much light was pouring into his body, building up in his Psynergy and flooding it. "Matthew!" Karis cried, tears rolling down her face as she watched the scene unfold before her, helplessly. Matthew was convulsing and twitching in place as he tried to move. Damn! It felt like a mega ton of iron was on his back and weighing him down! This intensity of the Apollo Lens was proving too much! If he didn't get out of here soon, he could die! No matter what he tried to do, his body just wouldn't respond anymore. His iron will was slowly melting away much like his pride. It was hurt deeply and no matter how many healing spells could be used on it, it wouldn't mend.

All the teen could hear was the calling of his friends, but they were becoming less and less audible now. His hearing was diminishing as well as his sight. All he could see were bright, falling lights raining down in front of him infinitely. His entire body was numbed up, it felt like he was taken in for treatment and had multiple numb shots injected into him. His vision was blurry, getting blurry, and his breaths were drawing shorter by the second. Where was everything? Why was it getting so hot? Or, was that cold? Did he lose his sense of touch now? Things were getting bitter, now that he thought about it. And this damn headache! Where did it come from? Why, why was he getting so damn tired? He was already tired from the fights, but this sleepiness wasn't because of it.

'No. Can't give in, can't give up… My friends need me. Come…on…move…' Matthew tried but his body wasn't even registering at all. His mind was beginning to shut down, bringing his entire self down with it.

And soon enough, he couldn't stand it any longer. The numbness caught up to him and he collapsed.

"Matt! Matthew! Wake up! Wake up!" He heard Karis screaming for him, but he couldn't respond to it.

"I think that's enough." He barely heard Chalis scorn. "Take him to the ship and the others…I don't feel like killing them now, so make sure they're disposed of yourself somewhere else. I don't care." She ordered someone, probably more soldiers. "I'll be having some fun with him later."

'Karis… Karis I'm so sorry… I failed…Dad…'

Whoo! There we go! 1k. So far.